YOUTH and the Environment-YATE-SL

10/04/2026

10/04/2026

Youth and the Environment Sierra Leone (YATE-SL) at Plan International Training in Moyamba

Youth and the Environment Sierra Leone (YATE-SL) is proud to have been part of a hectic but impactful 2-day training on Basic Internal Controls Procedures to Strengthen Project Management and Ensure Operational Efficiency, organized by Plan International in Moyamba on 9th and 10th April 2026.

This training has strengthened our capacity in risk management, accountability, transparency, and effective project implementation, which are key pillars in delivering sustainable environmental and youth empowerment programs across Sierra Leone.

At YATE-SL, we believe that strong internal systems build strong organizations, and strong organizations create lasting impact in communities. The knowledge and skills gained from this training will help us improve our project management processes, ensure proper use of resources, and enhance our commitment to promoting environmental sustainability and youth development.

We extend our sincere appreciation to Plan International and the PISL Risk Management and Internal Team for this valuable learning opportunity and for their continued support in building the capacity of local organizations.

Together, we are building accountable, efficient, and impactful institutions that promote child rights, environmental sustainability, and community development.

YATE-SL remains committed to learning, growing, and delivering impact for Sierra Leone.

19/03/2026

🌿 Happy Birthday to Our Visionary Leader! 🌿
Today, the entire YATE-SL family stands in celebration of a man whose leadership is not just an office, but a calling. We honor our Esteemed Board Chairman, Mr. Joseph S. Gbassa, on his special day.

A true "champion of change," Mr. Gbassa has been the steady compass guiding our mission toward a greener, more resilient Sierra Leone. His unwavering commitment to empowering the next generation has fueled a revolution for climate action and environmental protection.

To our Chairman:
Your vision inspires us to plant seeds of hope where others see challenges. Your dedication weaves a legacy that our children will inherit—a legacy of sustainability, impact, and profound love for our land.

May this new year bring you the same strength and growth you cultivate in our environment. We wish you a truly profound birthday filled with joy, continued wisdom, and the fulfillment of all your visionary goals.

Join us in wishing Mr. Joseph S. Gbassa a wonderful birthday in the comments below! 🎂💚

13/03/2026

🌱 A New Generation of Environmental Champions is Rising!🌱

We are excited to announce that Youth and the Environment Sierra Leone (YATE-SL)has successfully established the Green Guardians Club at Ark of Hope Academy. This marks an important step in empowering young people to become leaders in protecting our environment and shaping a greener future.

The Green Guardians Club is more than just a school club it is a movement of young minds committed to learning about climate change, promoting environmental awareness, and taking practical actions that protect our planet. Through this platform, students will engage in activities such as tree planting, waste management, environmental education, clean-up campaigns, and innovative eco-friendly ideas.

Today we celebrate the students and teachers of Ark of Hope Academy for embracing this vision and becoming pioneers of environmental stewardship in their school community. By nurturing environmental responsibility at a young age, we are helping to raise a generation that understands that the future of our planet is in our hands.

This initiative is part of our broader effort to prepare schools for Climate Week – Debates, Green Drama, and Poetry, where students will showcase creativity and innovative ideas for climate action under the theme:
“From Awareness to Action: Youth Creativity and Innovation for a Greener Future.”

We extend our sincere appreciation to the school leadership for their openness and commitment to environmental education. Together, we are building a culture where knowledge leads to action and where young people become Green Guardians of our planet.

🌍💚 The journey has begun — and this is only the first of many schools to come!

14/02/2026

🌿 Youth and the Environment Sierra Leone (YATE-SL) 🌍

Today, we successfully held our first Strategic Planning Meeting for our flagship project:

Green Guidance – Green Guardians Initiative: Advancing Climate Education, Biodiversity Conservation, and Youth Participation in Climate Governance for Environmental Sustainability and Sustainable Livelihoods in Sierra Leone.

This meeting brought together our dedicated staff, volunteers, and key stakeholders to strengthen coordination, refine our strategy, and align our vision for impactful climate action across schools and communities.

We engaged in meaningful discussions on:

🌱 Expanding Climate Education through Green Guidance (Nature) Clubs
🌿 Promoting Biodiversity Conservation and Wetland Protection
👩🏽‍🤝‍👨🏾 Strengthening Youth Participation in Climate Governance
♻️ Encouraging Green Innovation and Sustainable Livelihood Opportunities
📢 Enhancing Environmental Policy Awareness and Advocacy

The energy in the room reflected one thing clearly Sierra Leone’s youth are ready to lead environmental transformation.

This strategic session marks a critical step toward the official launching of the Green Guidance Initiative and the rollout of activities in Bo and Moyamba Districts.

We remain committed to building a generation of Green Guardians — Protecting Nature, Empowering Communities.

Together, we move forward. 🌍🔥

11/02/2026

🌱 Youth and the Environment Sierra Leone (YATE-SL) — Raising Green Leaders, Shaping Sustainable Futures. 🌍

Project: Green Guidance Initiative.

We are excited to announce the successful formation of the Green Guidance (Nature) Club at UCC St. Andrew’s Secondary School, Bo, under our flagship Green Guardians Initiative – Protecting Nature, Empowering Communities.

This milestone represents a bold step forward in building a generation of environmentally responsible youth, equipped with knowledge, leadership skills, and innovative capacity to respond to today’s pressing environmental challenges.

During our school visitation, we witnessed exceptional enthusiasm, commitment, and leadership from students and staff, leading to the official establishment of the club, now fully prepared for its grand launching.

Through the Green Guidance Club, students will be empowered to:
🍃 Lead climate and environmental awareness campaigns
♻️ Develop eco-friendly innovations and green entrepreneurship ideas
🌍 Champion biodiversity conservation and climate action
🌱 Promote sustainable lifestyles in schools and communities

We sincerely appreciate the administration, teachers, and students of UCC St. Andrew’s Secondary School, Bo, for their warm reception, strong partnership, and shared commitment to building a greener and more resilient future.

Together, we are nurturing Green Guardians — young leaders committed to protecting nature and empowering communities.

📍 Bo City, Sierra Leone

09/12/2025

🌍✊🏽 16 Days of Activism — YATE-SL x Young Women in Democracy Forum: School-to-School “PANTS” Sensitization in Bo Town ✊🏽🌍

Today Youth and the Environment — YATE-SL, in proud partnership with Young Women in Democracy Forum, launched a school-to-school PANTS sensitization across Bo Town in honour of the 16 Days of Activism. This year’s global theme — “UNiTE to End Digital Violence against All Women and Girls” — calls on us to protect young people both offline and online.
UN Women
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👖 What PANTS teaches: simple, age-appropriate messages about body safety, privacy, consent and how children can speak up when something is wrong — tools that protect dignity and prevent abuse wherever it happens: in the home, at school, and online.
World Health Organization

📚 What we’re doing in Bo: interactive sessions delivered in classrooms, assembly , conversations with teachers and parents, distribution of child-friendly guidance materials, and referrals to trusted support services for any child who needs help.

🌟 Why this matters now: technology connects our children — but it can also expose them to new harms. As the world focuses on ending digital violence, local action is essential: awareness in schools protects children today and builds safer communities tomorrow.

🤝 Call to action: Parents, teachers, community leaders and young people — join us. Share this message, support our sessions, and help create safe spaces for every child in Bo Town. If you’d like schools to host a PANTS session or to volunteer, message us here or [email protected]

13/11/2025

Youth and the Environment-YATE-SL in collaboration with Brave Ambassadors of Njala University Sensitize Pupils on Gender-Based Violence at Ahmadiyya Muslim Senior Secondary School, Bo

As part of our ongoing commitment to promoting safety, equality, and respect within schools and universities, the Brave Ambassadors Peer Educators from Njala University, Towama Campus, under the SEND Sierra Leone BRAVE Project, successfully conducted a Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Sensitization Session at Ahmadiyya Muslim Senior Secondary School, Bo.
The session brought together pupils, teachers, and school leaders for an impactful discussion aimed at educating and empowering young people to understand, identify, and prevent all forms of gender-based violence within their school and community.

🎯 Key Focus Areas of the Sensitization

The interactive session covered five major themes:

Understanding Gender-Based Violence – Pupils learned what GBV is and how it affects individuals based on gender, whether physically, emotionally, or psychologically.

Types and Early Warning Signs of GBV – The team explained the various forms of abuse, including physical, sexual, emotional, and economic violence, while highlighting early warning signs to look out for.

How to Speak Up and Report Abuse – Pupils were encouraged to break the culture of silence by reporting any form of violence or harassment to trusted teachers, parents, or protection officers.

Safe Spaces and Protection Mechanisms – The discussion emphasized existing school and community structures that ensure students’ safety, including counseling units and child protection policies.

Respect, Boundaries, and Positive Peer Behavior – Students were reminded of the importance of mutual respect, maintaining personal boundaries, and promoting healthy relationships built on kindness and equality

Engagement and Impact

The Brave Ambassadors used real-life examples, interactive discussions, and question-and-answer segments to make the session engaging and relatable. Pupils actively participated, shared experiences, and expressed their commitment to becoming agents of change in their school community.

Teachers and school authorities appreciated the initiative and emphasized the need for continued collaboration to build a safe and gender-sensitive school environment.

Acknowledgment

We extend our heartfelt appreciation to SEND Sierra Leone for their continuous support through the BRAVE Project, and to the administration and staff of Ahmadiyya Muslim Senior Secondary School, Bo, for granting us the opportunity to engage their pupils on this vital issue.

💬 Key Message

“Every boy and girl deserves to learn, grow, and dream in an environment free from fear, violence, and discrimination.”

Together, we can end gender-based violence — one school, one voice, and one brave ambassador at a time. 💪✨

04/11/2025

Youth and the Environment Sierra Leone (YATE-SL) at the National Young Women’s Conference 2025

Youth and the Environment Sierra Leone (YATE-SL) is honored to be represented at this year’s National Young Women’s Conference, held from 4th–5th November 2025 at the Vanilla Complex, Aberdeen, Freetown.

Under the transformative theme “From the Margins to the Stage: Reimagining Young Women’s Political Leadership in Sierra Leone,”the conference brings together passionate young women from across the country to explore leadership, democracy, accountability, and gender equality.

This year’s project, “Building Young Feminist Leaders for Democracy Deepening and Accountability in Sierra Leone,” supported by the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF), is a powerful platform that empowers young women to take bold steps into national leadership spaces.

Our representative engaged in dynamic discussions focused on:
✨ Discovering personal leadership identity
✨ Strengthening young feminist voices
✨ Advancing inclusive governance
✨ Building accountable and democratic systems
✨ Ensuring young women are active participants in decision-making

YATE-SL remains committed to empowering young women and girls—because sustainable development, environmental justice, and good governance depend on strong female leadership.

We celebrate every young woman rising from the margins to the stage.
Together, we build a Sierra Leone where women lead, influence, and transform.

27/09/2025

We are humbled and grateful to receive this Certificate of Recognition from Zurich Foundation, JA Africa, and CASE SALONE for our contribution in implementing the Social Equity Program.

Through this initiative, Youth and the Environment Sierra Leone (YATE-SL) empowered over 3,000 youth across Sierra Leone with skills in Entrepreneurship, Job Readiness, and Digital Literacy. This was made possible through a four-day bootcamp filled with coaching, mentorship, and inspiration.

This achievement reminds us that investing in young people creates lasting change for communities and the nation. 🌍💡

We dedicate this award to every young person we serve, and to our team, partners, and supporters who make this vision possible.